Before the continent’s colonization by Europe and Arabia, Africans held beliefs in spirits and were spiritual. They also held a belief in a Supreme Being who was credited with creating everything on earth. The concept of ‘god’ varies among ethnic and linguistic groups.
Below are some African deities that are worth knowing:
- Nana Buluku
Nana Buluku is a well-known deity in the traditional religion of the Fon and Ewe people of West Africa, as well as other West African nations. She is known by different names in various tribes, such as Nana Bukuu among the Yoruba people and Olisabuluwa among the Igbo people.
Nana Buluku is revered as the mother goddess, and in the mythology of Dahomey, she is the supreme creator who gave birth to the moon spirit Mawu, the sun spirit Lisa, and the entire universe. After giving birth to these, she retired and entrusted the management of the world to Mawu-Lisa.
- Adroa
Adroa is the supreme spirit or god of the Lugbara community in Uganda and Congo. Referred to as Adroa ‘ba o’bapiri, which means ‘God the creator of men’, he is credited with creating the first man, Gborogboro, and the first woman, Meme, who were also twins.
Adroa is characterized by both good and evil, and this duality is reflected in his divided body. He is known to appear to people in various forms depending on the circumstance, and he is believed to reveal himself to individuals before they die.
- Kibuka
Kibuka, a deity in the religion of the Baganda people of Uganda, is a member of the Balubaale or Pantheon of gods. As the son of the trickster Ananse, who was revered as the Patron god of the Asanti, Kibuka is believed to be a war god.
Kibuka is also the younger sibling of Mukasa, the god of prosperity and harvest. During times of war, disease, or other crises, Kibuka frequently offers counsel to Baganda kings.
- Sango
Sango, the deity of thunder, holds a prominent place in Yoruba religion. He wields a powerful double axe that he employs to strike offenders with lightning and thunder, and his presence is heralded by thunderstorms.
In Yoruba belief, Sango is widely regarded as one of the most dominant rulers to have emerged from Yorubaland. He is also considered the most potent deity in Africa, presiding over vengeance, social order, and protection themes
- Inkosazana
Nomkhubuluwana, also referred to as Inkosazana, is a revered Zulu goddess known as the “mermaid.” She is believed to be a shape-shifter, although she commonly appears in the form of a mermaid, as she is said to reside in water.
Inkosazana is closely linked with agriculture and fertility, and she provides protection to both the young and the old. She is said to only reveal herself to those who possess a pure heart. Inkosazana is known to manifest in both murky waters and misty clouds and is particularly concerned with matters pertaining to female v*rginity.
1.Modjadji
The Rain Queen, also known as Queen Modjadji, is revered in South Africa as the goddess of rain. She is believed to reside within a young woman who is recognized as the queen of Balobedu.
According to legend, the Rain Queen possesses extraordinary abilities, including the power to influence clouds and rainfall. Numerous stories recount the creation and history of the rain queens, with one account that dates back to the 16th century when an ancestral spirit instructed a chief to impregnate his daughter, Dzugundini, so that she would acquire rainmaking abilities.
Another version of the tale involves a man named Mokoto, who was visited by a vision instructing him to establish a matrilineal dynasty by marrying his daughter. The daughter eventually gave birth to the first Rain Queen, named Modjadji, which translates to “ruler of the day.”